Apparatus and method for providing rapid compression to at least one appendage

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing rapid compression to at least one appendage positioned within an inflatable sleeve are disclosed. Rapid compression is provided by filling the inflatable sleeve containing the appendage with a gas. A portion of the gas is then repeatedly withdrawn and inserted back into the inflatable sleeve to apply a compression therapy to the at least one appendage.

1. A method for providing rapid compression to at least one appendage, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) positioning the at least appendage within an inflatable sleeve using a cylinder having a first end and a second end and a piston movably positioned within the cylinder between the fist end and the second end to define a pressure cavity having a volume coupled to the inflatable sleeve; 
 (b) filling the inflatable sleeve with a gas; 
 (c) withdrawing the piston from the cylinder from a first position within the cylinder to a second position to withdraw a portion of the gas from the inflatable sleeve into a cavity a distance between the first position and the second position defining a stroke length for the piston within the cylinder; 
 (d) inserting the piston into the cylinder from the second position to the first position to insert the withdrawn portion of gas from the cavity back into the inflatable sleeve; 
 (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) to apply a compression therapy to the at least one appendage; 
 (f) monitoring a pressure associated with the inflatable sleeve; 
 (g) altering at least one of (i) the first position and (ii) the second position responsive to the monitored pressure to adjust in different intervals the stroke length of the piston within the cylinder to accommodate pressure fluctuations; and 
 (h) monitoring a front position of the piston and a rear position of the piston within the cylinder. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein steps (b) and (c) are performed responsive to a predefined program. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the appendage is associated with a being having a cardiac signal and wherein the steps (b) and (c) are performed responsive to the cardiac signal. 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the cardiac signal is associated with a heart of the being and wherein step (b) is performed substantially concurrent with contraction of the heart and step (c) is performed substantially concurrent with expansion of the heart. 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cylinder further comprises a valve having a least an open state and a closed state, the valve positioned to expose the pressure cavity to an atmosphere when in the open state, wherein step (a) comprises the steps of:
 (i) withdrawing the piston from the cylinder from a third position to a fourth position with the valve open; 
 (ii) inserting the piston into the cylinder from the fourth position to the third position with the valve closed; and 
 (iii) repeating steps (i) and (ii) until a predetermined pressure associated with the inflatable sleeve is met prior to applying the comoression therapy. 
 
   
   
     6. An apparatus for providing rapid compression to at least one appendage, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one inflatable sleeve for receiving the at least one appendage, the at least one inflatable sleeve having a first volume for receiving a gas, the gas within the first volume having a pressure that is applied to the appendage; 
 a cylinder having a first end and a second end; 
 a piston movably positioned within the cylinder between the first end and the second end to define a pressure cavity within the cylinder between the piston and the second end of the cylinder, the pressure cavity having a second volume for receiving the gas, the pressure cavity being continuously coupled to the at least one inflatable sleeve such that altering the second volume by moving the piston alters the pressure of the gas within the first volume, the piston having a stroke length within the cylinder; 
 a pressure sensor positioned to sense the pressure of the gas; 
 a rear position sensor positioned adjacent the first end of the cylinder to sense the piston; 
 a front position sensor positioned adjacent the second end of the cylinder to sense the piston; 
 a positionable piston driver coupled to the piston, the positionable piston driver positioning the piston within the cylinder and adjusting in different intervals said stroke length of the piston within the cylinder based at least in part on the sensed pressure of the gas to accommodate pressure fluctuation, the positionable piston driver responsive to a control signal; 
 a controller coupled to the piston driver and to the pressure sensor, the controller generating the control signal for the positionable piston driver to position the piston within the cylinder to control the pressure of the gas within the first volume responsive at least in part to the sensed pressure of the gas; 
 wherein the pressure of the gas in the first volume is increased by inserting the piston into the cylinder to decrease the second volume and the pressure in the first volume is decreased by withdrawing the piston from the cylinder to increase the second volume. 
 
   
   
     7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the pressure of the gas within the first volume responsive to a predefined therapy program. 
   
   
     8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the appendage is associated with a being having a cardiac signal and wherein the controller is configured to receive the cardiac signal and to control the pressure of the gas within the first volume responsive to the cardiac signal. 
   
   
     9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the cardiac signal indicates expansion and contraction of a heart associated with the being and wherein the controller is configured to control the pressure of the gas within the first volume responsive to the cardiac signal such that the pressure is increased substantially concurrent with the expansion of the heart and the pressure is decreased substantially concurrent with the contraction of the heart. 
   
   
     10. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a valve coupled to the controller, the valve having a least an open state and a closed state selectable by the controller, the valve positioned to expose at least one of (i) the first volume and (ii) the second volume to an atmospheric pressure when in the open state; 
 wherein the controller is further configured to select when the valve is in the open state responsive to the position of the piston and the sensed pressure. 
 
   
   
     11. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pump coupled to the controller and to at least one of (i) the inflatable sleeve and (ii) the pressure cavity, the pump configured to initialize the pressure of the gas. 
 
   
   
     12. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to apply a therapy to the at least one appendage. 
   
   
     13. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one inflatable sleeve includes at least two inflatable sleeves for receiving at least two respective appendages. 
   
   
     14. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one inflatable sleeve includes at least four inflatable sleeves for receive at least four respective appendage. 
   
   
     15. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the piston driver is configured to operate using less than 1500 watts at 120 volts AC. 
   
   
     16. An apparatus for providing rapid compression to at least one appendage, the apparatus comprising:
 an inflatable sleeve for receiving an appendage, the inflatable sleeve having a plurality of sections, each of the sections having a respective section volume for receiving a gas, the gas within each of the sections having a pressure that is applied to the appendage; 
 at least one cylinder associated with a respective one of the sections, each of the at least one cylinder having a first end and a second end 
 at least one piston, each of the at least one piston movably positioned within a respective one of the at least one cylinder between the first end and the second end to define a pressure cavity within the respective cylinder between the piston and the second end of the cylinder, the pressure cavity having a cavity volume for receiving the gas, the pressure cavity being continuously coupled to a respective section of the inflatable sleeve such that altering the cavity volume by moving the piston alters the pressure of the gas within the section volume of the respective section, the at least one piston having a stroke length within the respective one of the at least one cylinder; 
 at least one piston driver, each of the at least one piston driver coupled to a respective one of the at least one piston, each of the at least one piston driver configured to position the respective piston within the respective cylinder responsive to a control signal; and 
 at least one rear position sensor positioned adjacent the first end of the at least one cylinder to sense the respective piston; 
 at least one front position sensor positioned adjacent the second end of the at least one cylinder to sense the respective piston; 
 a controller coupled to the at least one piston driver, the controller configured to generate the control signals for positioning the at least one piston within the respective at least one cylinder to adjust the stroke length in different intervals to independently control the pressure of the gas within the section volumes of each of the inflatable sleeve sections; 
 wherein the pressure of the gas within each section is increased by inserting the respective at least one piston into the respective at least one cylinder to decrease the cavity volume and the pressure is decreased by withdrawing the respective at least one piston from the respective at least one cylinder to increase the cavity volume. 
 
   
   
     17. The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to delay one of the at least one pistons within a respective one of the at least one cylinder with respect to another piston and respective cylinder.